AMD has recently, in a very low-key manner, released a technology for switching between discrete and integrated graphics cards, named "Switchable Graphics", targeting Intel's Centrino 2 notebook platform. This allows the ATI Mobility Radeon HD and Intel GMA to alternate in performing rendering tasks.
According to reports, this technology co-developed by Intel and AMD is only available on Centrino 2 notebooks with Windows Vista operating system installed. It supports the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3600/3400 series of discrete graphics cards and the Intel GM45/GS45 integrated chipset's GMA X4500MHD integrated graphics core. Depending on user settings and system load, the notebook will dynamically switch between the two types of graphics cards in real-time without requiring a reboot or logoff, and basically without any user intervention. This is clearly more convenient than the Apple MacBook series which still requires a logout.
This technology does not have special requirements for notebooks or graphics cards; on related products, it only requires a system BIOS upgrade to support it.
However, the Centrino 2 platform cannot yet support hybrid CrossFire "Hybrid CrossFire" between discrete and integrated graphics cards like AMD's Puma platform can, as they are entirely different graphic cores.
In addition, Intel and NVIDIA also have similar cooperative technologies. However, AMD did not release any official statements when unveiling this new technology, making it unusually low-profile. Perhaps this is because current Centrino 2 notebooks do not yet support this technology, or perhaps AMD does not want this technology to attract too many consumers, so as not to affect the sales of its own platform notebooks.
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